Religiosity, racism, and dispositional optimism among African Americans

The present study explored the relationship between social support, everyday racism, religiosity, spirituality, and dispositional optimism among a sample of African American men and women (n=149). Social support emerged as a marginally significant predictor of optimism. Encounters with everyday racism negatively predicted dispositional optimism. Religiosity and spirituality variables were not uniform in their relationship to optimism. Church attendance, early religious involvement, church involvement, and subjective religiosity were not associated with optimism scores. Subjective spirituality, and relationship with God were positively related to optimism. However, the perception that one has a supportive and loving relationship with God was the sole religiosity variable that emerged as a predictor of optimism. The significance and implications of these findings are discussed.